A/N:I know it's been a little while since I last updated this story, right? I was planning to update the next chapter, but my laptop broke and I can't get it fixed so I have to use another computer to type this chapter up. I'm so sorryyyyyyy, guys! I really wanted to update, but that and other things got in the way. Finally working on a new PH video. Sony Vegas unfortunately is not on the computer I'm using. Boo-hoo, how I hate Windows. It hates me back. I know it for Shinichi reacting to Aoko, well he has a Ran-dar. He knows when people act like Ran and she scares him to death.

Chapter 12 Catching up

Shinichi Kudo laughed as he smiled and talked with his cousin. It was still so hard for him to believe that he was actually talking to his cousin again, in person. He was afraid he was merely dreaming all of this and that he would wake up to find Kaito gone and be all alone again.

"Kaito, this feels like a dream," Shinichi whispered, but Kaito caught his remark all the same. The brown-haired magician heard anyway, and tilted his head in confusion.

"Sometimes I feel the same way, meitantei-san, but look around us. Is this not enough to tell you that you are not dreaming? Our scenario is real, the food we are eating is real...well, I'm not so sure about the food...but other than that..." Kaito trailed off while absent-mindedly spearing a piece of meat with his fork.

"Meitantei-san? When did you come up with that dorky nickname for me, Kaito?" Shinichi asked.

"What? You don't like being called the great detective?" Kaito said in disbelief.

"It's just that it's sort of weird...seeing as you're not the only one who called me that...didn't KID also call me that-"

Shinichi paused, then and there, mid-sentence. He dropped his fork on the tray and his mind struggled to comprehend just where he was going with that statement. The only other one who had called him that...was Kaitou KID...right? A mental image in his mind formed of the phantom thief as he tried to recall the fleeting conversation he'd had with the magical pain-in-the-neck thief before he had flown off into the night.

"Meitantei-san, should you really point something like that at people?"

Shinichi's eyes widened then as he stared back at Kaito, a new idea forming in his mind-and a most unpleasant one, at that. If Kaito used that name for him, was it possible that Kaito was the famous phantom thief he had nearly shot down a few nights ago? How was that possible, though? Kaito would never betray the law and steal, but he was quite good at magic.

What had KID looked like under the top hat, anyway? He hadn't exactly gotten the best view of him, but his eyes were blue, if not purple, maybe.

"Meitantei-san, what are you doing?" Kaito said in curiosity. Normally his cousin didn't space out like this unless there was a reason behind it. The reasons he would become like this...well, he probably didn't want to know what the boy was thinking.

"Kaito, are you KID? You address me in the same manner, you're as good at magic as he is, and your eyes are the same color. KID was afraid of fish, too," Shinichi said slowly before his eyes narrowed at Kaito, who looked at him in shock.

Inwardly, Kaito was horrified. How the hell had he figured that out so fast? If he didn't figure out something to say now-something to deflect his acute mind from that idea-Kudo would probably arrest him on the spot if he had to. Though maybe he would hesitate a bit...nah, when it came to the law and law enforcement, Shinichi was stern and unrelenting.

"What the heck are you talking about, Shinichi? He and I don't look anything alike! Besides, wouldn't you say KID's gotta be older than we are?" Kaito said, trying hard to toss him out of his serious state.

Shinichi's blue eyes flashed dangerously. "Really? Here, Nakamori-keibu and I figured out that he must be younger than that...he's probably around our age, too," He deduced.

Sweat dripped down Kaito's forehead. His cousin was getting too close for comfort to the truth. "Maybe you're just mistaken. You've probably seen too many cases and solved so many that somehow you think everyone sounds like everyone!" He said, attempting to confound his cousin.

His cousin quirked an eyebrow. "Barou, what the hell's with that?"

"Speaking of which, why don't you invite Mouri-san over here?" Kaito said before pointing a finger at a certain brunette, who was watching with barely disguised envy. Her friend was glaring at both of them now.

"This is my time with you," Shinichi whined.

"Is it just me, or are you in love with me? You've been making funny faces at me ever since I got here."

"Barou...why the hell would you assume that! I haven't seen you for nearly seven years!" Shinichi cried, his face red in annoyance.

"Oh, maybe I was mistaken! The way you sprang over here like a puppy headed for its mate...I must've mistaken the look on your face, then." Kaito teased. Sure enough, his cousin forgot about KID and all was forgiven. Shinichi looked like he was going to strangle Kaito, but then he started to laugh.

Ran just watched the two interact with each other. She knew she wanted to be there with Shinichi, laughing and talking and yet somehow she knew she wasn't meant to interfere with Kaito and Shinichi's bonding time. The two of them hadn't seen each other in years, whereas she had seen him most of her life.

"Ran-chan, go over there and say hello to your husband!" Sonoko hissed.

The brunette shook her head. "I don't belong. It's their time together."

Sonoko shook her head and placed her hands on Ran's shoulders. "No, now is your time to re-affirm your love for your husband and take him from your rival!"

"R-R-Rival?" Ran stammered, wondering where Sonoko came up with half of her wild ideas.

Sonoko walked Ran over to Kaito and Shinichi's table and went back over to her table. "I would join in if I wasn't excluded." She whined.

This caused Kaito to glare at her. "If you hadn't ridiculed my cousin, I think we would be friends."

She sulked then.

Ran tried to talk to Shinichi, but something seemed off with him today. He was lost in his thoughts, and half of the time, he didn't even respond to her. He seemed preoccupied with something. It annoyed her when he didn't tell her what was wrong.

"Shinichi," She said slowly, "Tell me what's wrong."

The lunch bell had just rung and all the students were getting up. Kaito followed after Shinichi, smiling at everyone he saw and chattering up a storm.

"So, what class do you have next, meitantei-san?" Kaito said before holding his cousin's hand.

His cousin blushed. "Hey, you, don't get so close! What will people say? You especially shouldn't do this in front of Ran!"

Ran blushed. "Why not, Shinichi?" She stared at him with questioning eyes.

"It's not like I'm gay or anything!" He cried.

"Who cares what they think...?" Kaito purred. However, he let go of Shinichi's hand when he heard feminine giggles come from down the hall. "Whatever is that unearthly racket?"

"Fangirls," Shinichi said, shaking slightly.

Ran knew now wasn't the time to talk to him and headed off to her next class.

Instantly, a sea of girls crowded around the two young men.

"KUDO-SEMPAI!"

"KUDO-SEMPAI, MARRY ME!"

"KUDO-SEMPAI, YOU WERE AWESOME AGAINST KAITOU KID!"

"Ah, ladies, please, single file-" Shinichi pleaded, but the girls were getting a little too close for comfort now. He didn't expect to be pulled aside by Kaito.

"Pardon me, ladies, but my name is Kuroba Kaito, and I am Kudo Shinichi's cousin. Wouldn't you like to give me some love?" He popped out a few roses and handed them to a few girls.

"KYAAAAA, KAITO-SEMPAI!"

"KAITO-SEMPAI, MARRY ME!"

Oi, oi, talk about easily influenced.

Shinichi couldn't help but wonder how on earth his cousin was so charismatic. He figured it was better to not question some things and just go along with them.

The second Shinichi left school, Kaito forced him to go over to his house and meet his aunt again.

"Okaasan's been dying to see you." Kaito whined as he knocked on the door and waited for it to open.

Instantly, a woman appeared. "Kaito-kun, you're late again! My god...is it really you, Shinichi-kun?" She said as her eyes fell on Shinichi.

"Chikage-obasan, it's been a while!" Shinichi said.

"Did you say obaasan?" She said threateningly.

"No, I said obasan," Shinichi said demurely. She's every bit as scary as I remember.

"Good!" She said as she embraced Shinichi in a bear hug. She ignored Kaito. "Oh, Aoko-chan, come say hello to Kaito and his friend!"

Aoko appeared, holding a huge salmon in her arms. Kaito's face turned five shades of green and then he started to shiver. Shinichi grinned wickedly the second he saw the fish.

"Hey, Bakaito, I'll force-feed you this fish-oh, hi there, Kudou-san!" She said, smiling the instant she saw Shinichi.

Shinichi plastered a nervous smile on his face. This girl not only looks like Ran-she acts like Ran, too.